"He'll be furious. He'll probably order me back to Goa."
"I doubt it. I'm sure he knows your value here." Nadir Sharif turned without another word and hurried on down the corridor.
Ahead of him Hawksworth was being led by the guards through the marble archways. As they reached the end, facing the doorway leading to the courtyard stairs, he turned one last time and stared back, seeing Nadir Sharif for the first time.
"What do you want now? My money or my life? Or both?"
"I merely came to see you safely home, Ambassador." Nadir Sharif waved the guards back toward the Diwan-i-Khas, and they bowed with relief as they turned to retreat. "And to offer my condolences."
"And no doubt to cozen me as well. I intend to find out who played me false. Even if it's Jadar. Somebody has hell to pay."
"That would be most unwise, Ambassador. I'm afraid we were all a bit too credulous. I readily confess even I had begun to believe your story."
"It wasn't 'my story'! I knew nothing about . . ."
"But you never denied it, Ambassador. Surely you knew the truth all along. The truth is always wisest. That's my cardinal rule in life."
"But it could have been true. It was entirely possible. Why didn't you explain that to Arangbar? You're still supposed to be my agent."